“We’re Still Here: Seeing the Present to Unlock the Past”

 @Jerad Koepp , thank you for your presentation!  As a high school teacher in Michigan, I see the inclusion of Indigenous People regularly in K-12 curriculum and instruction.  In west Michigan, the Three Fires (Potawatomi, Odawa, Ojibwe) is a group that young learners explore and celebrate.  Our Outdoor Discovery Center shares native history and culture with the community.  Eric Hemenway (https://turtletalk.blog/tag/eric-hemenway/) is an outstanding resource for our communities.  I also see native stories as mainstream components of young adult literature:  two recent publications, Firekeeper's Daughter (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52346471-firekeeper-s-daughter) and Ancestor Approved (https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/53402104-ancestor-approved) show how native American culture remains present.  Both books connect to Michigan, yet extend beyond the state.  I teach Big History, and your charges to teachers fit in very well with our efforts.  Should your work bring you to west Michigan, I would welcome the opportunity to show you around the area.  Again, thank you for sharing!